Time to take a deep breath, and work out who the Government is. Is it the centre-right modernists, led by Amber Rudd? Is it the opportunistic wannabes, led by Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt? Or, is Theresa May in office but not in power? Hard to tell from the outside. But there are still other things ticking over, and there are issues way beyond Brexit, as today's press releases show... Causes of mental ill-health in schools must be tackled Lib Dems: Penny has dropped with Hunt Lib Dems: UC needs investment, not just reform Lib Dems: Pigs more likely to ...

2019 continues where 2018 left off, with mainstream press continuing to sensationalise long standing policies that give trans women some dignity and privacy. This morning's headline, in the Daily Telegraph, was Trans row as men get access to women's NHS wards. By "men", the piece subsequently made clear, the Telegraph team were referring to trans [...]

My Trivial Fact of the Day neatly links two favourite groups. On their official Twitter feed today XTC revealed that they once bought the Spencer Davis Group's old PA. XTC were formed in 1972, by which time the Winwood brothers had long parted from Spencer Davis. Perhaps they bought the PA after Davis had reformed the group for a couple of years in early Seventies. This fact put me in mind of a story I once heard Tom Robinson tell on the radio. You can find it in an old Independent article: He is happy to recall an incident from ...

Via my good friend Sefton Councillor John Dodd I have become aware of a web site called Arrive Happy in the past few days:- Here it is via the link below:- www.arrivehappy.org/our-cycling-and-walking-masterplan As I understand things 31 walking/cycling routes were previously identified across the City Region/Merseyside and now 9 of them are to be progressed towards a funding bid. Liverpool City Region Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) – I'm told that the LCR Transport Partnership, have identified, using the evidence collected, a total of 31 potential cycling and walking corridors. The previously agreed and approved methodology used for ...

So I made an archive for general use of memes stolen without attribution over a period of arguing about brexit with people who are wrong on the internet [IMG: https://xkcd.com/386/] The 1975 Referendum 2016 Campaign - the single market 2016 Campaign - other leave lies 2016 Campaign - kick the establishment 2016 Campaign - the vote Trade - existing Trade - Tariffs, deals and WTO Economics Democracy Corbyn's long game A new vote? Funnies Snark Brexit process and reasons Tory politicians and their utterances I say the last war because whilst it was all lies and cheating and foreign interference ...

Should have had safeguards even the Tory constitution requires supermajorites and turnout thresholds for change We never lost our sovereignty May ruled out all possible deals with her ridiculous red lines And Churchill wanted an EU army anyway Why are we doing this anyway Who funds that ERG anyway I assume there isn't anyway one else interested in tax and I'm sure there all British At least they're now a part of a front along with other "think tanks"

It's Jo Swinson's first week back from parental leave and already she's done more than most of us letter mortals do in a month. We'll have more of that first week over the weekend but for now I want to concentrate on her appearance on Question Time last night. She was brilliant – clear and passionate, describing Brexit as a national embarrassment and showing how a People's Vote could get us out of the mess we're in. The programme came from Islington, her fellow panellist Emily Thornberry's patch but Jo got way more applause than the Labour shadow foreign secretary ...

Yesterday, Christine Jardine presented a Bill which would allow asylum seekers to work after 3 months. From The Guardian Jardine's asylum seekers (permission to work) bill, if passed into law, would allow asylum seekers to work after three months of lodging their claim. It has the backing of the Lift the Ban coalition, which has published research showing asylum seekers blocked from working in the UK could make a net contribution of £42m to the economy if restrictive rules were lifted. Jardine said: "Right now, banning the vast majority of asylum seekers from seeking employment costs the taxpayer millions in ...

Following a campaign by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, started back in October, the Crown Prosecution Service has published new guidance on the prosecution of 'Sex for Rent' crimes.Responding to the victory, Wera Hobhouse said:"This is a huge step forward in protecting vulnerable people. The new guidelines should give police and prosecutors the tools they need to bring to justice these predatory landlords taking advantage of the housing crisis."Sex for rent is a vile crime which has risen as more and more people struggle to afford to put a roof over their heads. The perpetrators are preying on incredibly vulnerable ...

Responding to the reports that Nicola Blackwood has been given a peerage in the House of Lords, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords Dick Newby said:"With the announcement of another Tory peerage for life, the Prime Minister continues to move away from the proposals set out in the Burns Report which would ensure a fair reduction of numbers in the House of Lords. "The proposed reforms are completely undermined by this appointment. If we are to make serious progress with reform of the House of Lords we need cross-party agreement and, crucially, cross-party commitment. "Our outdated ...

Geena Davis on Founding Her Diversity-Focused Institute, Putting Women in STEM Onscreen, and Watching Hollywood's #MeToo Fallout Tory Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen Mocks Paddy Ashdown Tribute With 'Vile' Heckle .. and when asked to apologise does a fauxpology Sajid Javid: the Prime Minister who deported himself Satire so biting it's hard to tell it's satire. Boomers Share the Most Fake News on Facebook, Study Finds I did a grumpy twitter thread about free speech Lib Dem bill would let asylum seekers work in UK after three months A step in the right direction Why the UK's porn block is one of ...

Thu, 12:28: In case you had any sympathy at all for the current wave of criticism of the Speaker. https://t.co/Uwcn3haxgP Thu, 14:29: RT @IanDunt: If only I could RT this 100 times https://t.co/Es1reAVahc Thu, 15:11: RT @Dublin2019: Members: The nominating period for the 2019 Hugo Awards and 1944 Retro Hugo Awards is now open. Further information on the... Thu, 15:11: RT @Dublin2019: If you are having problems with Hugo Award nominations, please email Hugohelp@dublin2019.com with your relevant details. Thu, 17:45: OTP (One True Pairing): Paul Cornell does a good riff on this in "The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who". But ...

Responding to reports that Downing Street believes that if May's deal is voted down, as expected, the Plan B debate outlined under the Grieve amendment will only be 90min long with one amendment, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said: "This is yet another shameful attempt from Theresa May and her cronies to shut down the right of MPs to debate the unraveling consequences of this Brexit mess. "Clearly the Conservatives have learnt nothing from the last two defeats if they believe Parliament will accept a measly 90 minute debate with only one amendment. "Liberal Democrats demand better. We will ...

This morning's Guardian page had two headlines directly parallel to each other. One had Jeremy Hunt saying that voting against May's deal made no deal Brexit more likely; the other said that Hunt claimed the recent votes in the Commons made no Brexit at all happening much more likely. As you may have noticed, a no deal Brexit and no Brexit at all cannot co-exist and are in fact the very opposite of each other. You may have also noted that the chances of both happening cannot be going up at once. In the end, only one of Hunt's assertions ...

I am not a fanatical anything, not even a fanatical Liberal Democrat. That is, in some quarters, an admission of a lack of commitment, but I find it hard to maintain a high level of enthusiasm for many things other than Ros. Regardless of the circumstances, my desire to do things comes in waves, rather than in a constant flow. I first joined the Liberal Party in 1984, and it was fun. I did a whole bunch of things, met a slew of interesting people and had some amazing experiences. And then, after about eight years, I drifted away from ...

As Paddy's funeral took place in his home village of Somerset, Politics Home published a fantastic tribute to our former leader by another former leader of the party, Ming Campbell. He described him as "unwaveringly loyal and generous" and said that they never feel out even when they disagreed: The first serious political test of his leadership was the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein in August 1990. Given his military experience, this was the perfect opportunity for him to display his leadership. There were party members in the Commons and Lords and in the country who were nervous about ...

The US Federal Reserve seems to be doing a slow U-turn on its previously hawkish monetary policy stance. Jerome Powell's latest calming words have reassured financial markets and led to a small stock market rebound (at least for the moment). Is this a good thing? The first question that arises is the extent to which central [...] The post Central bankers are not deities appeared first on Radix.

It has been decided that almost £73,000 of developers' "Section 106" contributions paid to South Gloucestershire Council will be used for the following projects: Yate Town Council - £23,114.89 capital and £11,649.97 revenue funding for pitch drainage improvements on the grass pitches at Yate Outdoor Sport Complex and to purchase grounds maintenance equipment. Chipping Sodbury Rugby Football Club - £23,114.89 capital and £11,649.97 revenue funding to upgrade existing showers and install heating in the Changing Rooms at The Ridings, Chipping Sodbury. Blakeney Mills Play Area (Housing association) - £1,687.50 capital and £1,774.39 revenue (revenue to be capitalised) for enhancements to ...

One of my favourite Woody Allen lines is in the film Sleeper, when the main character wakes up 200 years in the future to be told that all of today's health food fads have been proved to be wrong. It is more a commentary on societal trends than science, but funny nevertheless. I was reminded of this line again, when I saw this article in yesterday's Guardian. They report that a review by the World Health Organisation has concluded that eating more fibre, found in wholegrain cereals, pasta and bread as well as nuts and pulses, will cut people's chances ...

Donald Trump takes a reverse scientific approach to issues. He searches for the voters greatest fears; enunciates them in the most dramatic and divisive language possible; and then twists and invents facts and re-invents history to support his claims. Some might say, so what? Isn't that what every politician does? Yes, but the President of the United States has taken the practice to an entirely new level, and in doing so has undermined a political class which was already standing on crumbling foundations. The Washington Post, which keeps a tally of presidential lies, reported in his first 601 days of ...

From Ninewells Community Garden : A week on Sunday - 20th January 2019 - from 10am to 12 noon. Beat the January blues and pop down to the garden! Some seasonal gardening tasks will be on offer, or just sit back and watch the birds from the comfort of the Leaf Room. We welcome new volunteers and no experience is necessary. More information about the garden is available here.

Earlier this week I attended an advisory group at Gateshead Civic Centre about the council's housing strategy. The old strategy finished at the end of 2018 but during that year, I banged on about the need to get the new strategy in place. From May onwards I raised it at every full council. I got a variety of responses from the cabinet member for housing, Cllr Malcom Brain, as to why the new draft